Dis'ers..I need you! Case of Hand, Foot, Mouth disease

My, at the time, 7 year old son had it. He was in the hospital for 6 days. Scariest thing we had to go through as parents. Made me very great full for an otherwise healthy child.

At 18 months I would think shed be ok as the symptoms seem to subside faster the younger they are. As someone else stated, I'd be worried that your 10 year old would get it. The older they are the worse the symptoms.

Good luck and I hope everyone gets back to 100% quickly. Sick kids are no fun.

Exactly!!! I was like "hand, foot and WHAT disease?!" Funny my daughter has been held for the past three days too. Right now she is sitting on the couch with me with her arm wrapped around my neck! I actually went to Rite Aid yesterday and got Pediasure vanilla shake flavor. She has drank about half the little bottle today. None of my kids has ever had this. My cousins son had it last year, but didn't have the mouth lesions. Lily will just be sitting here or laying down and all of a sudden open her mouth and put her fingers to her mouth and start crying! And she says "mama, mama" about 150 times an hour! Poor baby. This is really the first time she has been sick, except for the occasional sniffles. I am worried about my ten year old catching it as well, since she kisses and hugs this little one constantly!

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I am sitting in a computer lab at college reading this and my eyes started watering. I feel so badly for your little girl. Just picturing her there saying Mama over and over. My 18 month old does says that when she is not happy. I am sending lots of virtual pixie dust and hugs to Lily. No child should be sick, ever.

I am sitting in a computer lab at college reading this and my eyes started watering. I feel so badly for your little girl. Just picturing her there saying Mama over and over. My 18 month old does says that when she is not happy. I am sending lots of virtual pixie dust and hugs to Lily. No child should be sick, ever.

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Thank you soooo very much!! I am so pleased to tell you that Lily is feeling much better! She woke up from her nap and had some Pediasure, then around dinner time my husband asked her if she would like some scrambled eggs. She replied "Egg!". She only ate half the plate but what an improvement from even yesterday!! Thanks to all for all of your heartfelt nice wishes and thoughts! Not to mention your advice and shared experiences!!!! The dis really does rock!!!!!

I think a lot just depends on your kid and their pain tolerance. My son used to get strep throat often (before his tonsils were taken out)so he has a high threshold for throat pain. He got HFM for the 3rd or 4th time in August and got hand and foot blisters for the first time. His feet bothered him the most when walking a lot. It did seem like the more active he was, the more blisters came out. Maybe try to keep her as sedentary as possible? Good luck and I hope you are able to make your trip!

When you Google HFM it says it's a common childhood illness, but I'd never heard of it until some of my friends' kids got it. I have 4 kids and have been a parent for 9 years and I had never seen it before my 2 year old got it a couple weeks ago. Apparently a kid can get it and have very mild symptoms or none at all

My 14 month old DS had this in August. He got it from his cousins who had been fever free for over a week... Because it turns out some people are contagious for up to 3 weeks. And everyone is contagious intestinally for 6 weeks, which means anything but saliva and urine. So make sure hands are well washed after bathroom trips, everyone's! She may not be contagious, but to spare everyone else I would be careful. You will have a wonderful trip though, because once kids feel better with this they are ready to go, scabs and all!
We were also told that hydrocortisone on the blisters, after the scabs fell off would help the marks go away faster.

My DD had a mild case of it this summer, apparently there was an epidemic in Alabama and she caught it while visiting grandparents. She didn't eat for a couple days, ran a little fever and was fussy, but I chalked it up to cutting 3 year molars. We woke up two mornings after the fever started, I saw the sores on her feet and hands, looked in her mouth and immediately knew what it was. I am a nurse, so I called her ped just to report it, but he and I agreed, once the fever is over and the sores are scabbed, the worst is past. I think they shed the virus for up to a month, though. She felt bad Sunday-Monday, I noticed the blisters on Tuesday morning, and she was feeling much better by Thursday. But hers was very mild...I've had to start countless IVs on pediatric patients who got dehydrated because they couldn't take in any fluids due to horrible sores in their mouth. Magic mouthwash, lots of Advil & Tylenol, push fluids, and keep your fingers crossed.

My dd8 has this right now - I wasnt even aware that older kids got it. She had a temp of 102.1 Friday evening which turned into 104 Saturday morning. I thought she had strep again - she had it 2 weeks ago. Blisters are just in her throat but she is in a lot of pain. Going back to the dr today because now her viral induced asthma is flared. I can honestly say that she would not be enjoying WDW if we were there now.

I'm wondering why your doctor told you that Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease isn't contagious. It is HIGHLY contagious. It's really not a good idea to go to Disney until she's over it.

I guess technically the CDC considers it a "moderate" contagion, but it can be spread through the air by coughing and sneezing...That doesn't seem "moderate" to me.[/

Yep, it is the MOST contagious the first week, and person is contagious until blister lesions disappear -- however, it can be contagious for weeks afterwards as well in feces.
It is passed on in the air: sneezing & coughing, by personal contact : hugging, kissing, touching surfaces or objects that have the virus on them, and lastly, in the feces. Which, by the way, this virus can stay in feces for weeks.
Normally, most daycare centers and schools will tell you to keep your child home until the blister lesions have disappeared.
I'm thinking, if your little girl has blisters still the day before you are suppose o leave, then really, she shouldn't go.
You need to think about all the other people that this could be passed onto. Especially in a plane.....
I hate to say this, I'm sure it's really disappointing.
Hope she gets better fast!!

I'm wondering why your doctor told you that Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease isn't contagious. It is HIGHLY contagious. It's really not a good idea to go to Disney until she's over it.

I guess technically the CDC considers it a "moderate" contagion, but it can be spread through the air by coughing and sneezing...That doesn't seem "moderate" to me.[/

Yep, it is the MOST contagious the first week, and person is contagious until blister lesions disappear -- however, it can be contagious for weeks afterwards as well in feces.
It is passed on in the air: sneezing & coughing, by personal contact : hugging, kissing, touching surfaces or objects that have the virus on them, and lastly, in the feces. Which, by the way, this virus can stay in feces for weeks.
Normally, most daycare centers and schools will tell you to keep your child home until the blister lesions have disappeared.
I'm thinking, if your little girl has blisters still the day before you are suppose o leave, then really, she shouldn't go.
You need to think about all the other people that this could be passed onto. Especially in a plane.....
I hate to say this, I'm sure it's really disappointing.
Hope she gets better fast!!

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The OP is at WDW by now (the original post was last Tuesday). Little kids are always sick with something, and most kids get this virus eventually. I can't imagine cancelling a vacation because a child had a very common childhood virus a week before a vacation.

The OP is at WDW by now (the original post was last Tuesday). Little kids are always sick with something, and most kids get this virus eventually. I can't imagine cancelling a vacation because a child had a very common childhood virus a week before a vacation.

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This is patently false and shockingly selfish. Most children will not get this virus eventually. The fact is that most cases of HFMD occur in children. There is a huge difference between these two statements. While it is not a rare condition it is also not very common especially in North America. It is far more common in Asia. Check CDC site for more info.
The reason to cancel a vacation is one of social accountability. Why would you knowingly choose to expose thousands of children to a contagious disease with no real treatment? Why would you want to subject someone else's child to this type of pain and distress? What about the number of children with compromised immune systems who visit DW all the time, who could be severely compromised by this disease. While complications from this disease are uncommon, they do occur. You would knowingly expose someone's child to this because you want to have a vacation??? What about your own child who may not feel well - you would take them on holiday while they are ill?
Finally, when looking at the epidemiology of disease, they spread through human contact. Stay home when you're sick and you limit the spread of disease. It's a simple concept.

Haven't read thru the whole thread but justed wanted to let know so it isn't a shock but about a month from when your child looks better they may lose some finger and toe nails. If they had blisters on their hands then it is in their nail bed and has to grow out which causes them to lose their nails. DS lost some and (although rare for adults to get I did) I had my nails thinned so much that they pealed some layers. Just keep the nails trimmed to make sure they don't get torn off especially their toes. Sorry for the image.

It is not that common, but it is also not that serious.
It all depends on how comfortable you are leaving your child while sick.

Having 2 kids myself , and being a worrying parent, i have also come to realize that the truth is most of the time you have zero control over how a sickness will progress.
Its all a matter of will guilt over not staying ruin your trip?

The OP is at WDW by now (the original post was last Tuesday). Little kids are always sick with something, and most kids get this virus eventually. I can't imagine cancelling a vacation because a child had a very common childhood virus a week before a vacation.

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Just to be clear, It looks like i was quoted making the above statement -- want to be clear, I made the comment describing HFMD, and said the mother of sick child needed to think if other het child could make sick while in vacation -- I just wanted to clear on this.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is not that common. Nobody in my family has ever had this, and none of my nieces or nephews ever had this.

I also did daycare when my oldest daughter was little, and never had that problem -- ever-- with any child in my daycare.
I am a nursing assistant, and I can can tell you, it's not a common thing like a cold, flu, or earache. Most kids DO NOT " eventually" get this.
Perhaps even less would get it, if selfish people that think like you wouldn't expose their ill kids all over the place. I know the kind....
Having to cancel a vacation would be a bummer, but that seems dramatic. Surely there would be a trusted family member ( grandparents, auntie ect) that the sick child could stay with while the rest of the family went.
It would be hard, but it's better than canceling a vacation, possibly losing money, AND passing this on to others while on vacation.
Also, if your child is really not feeling good, and sick with something contagious, why would you even want to bring the poor, sick child? Who does that???? Bringing a sick, contagious child on vacation is really selfish, and lacks good parental judgement.

This is patently false and shockingly selfish. Most children will not get this virus eventually. The fact is that most cases of HFMD occur in children. There is a huge difference between these two statements. While it is not a rare condition it is also not very common especially in North America. It is far more common in Asia. Check CDC site for more info.
The reason to cancel a vacation is one of social accountability. Why would you knowingly choose to expose thousands of children to a contagious disease with no real treatment? Why would you want to subject someone else's child to this type of pain and distress? What about the number of children with compromised immune systems who visit DW all the time, who could be severely compromised by this disease. While complications from this disease are uncommon, they do occur. You would knowingly expose someone's child to this because you want to have a vacation??? What about your own child who may not feel well - you would take them on holiday while they are ill?
Finally, when looking at the epidemiology of disease, they spread through human contact. Stay home when you're sick and you limit the spread of disease. It's a simple concept.

Just to be clear, It looks like i was quoted making the above statement -- want to be clear, I made the comment describing HFMD, and said the mother of sick child needed to think if other het child could make sick while in vacation -- I just wanted to clear on this.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is not that common. Nobody in my family has ever had this, and none of my nieces or nephews ever had this.

I also did daycare when my oldest daughter was little, and never had that problem -- ever-- with any child in my daycare.
I am a nursing assistant, and I can can tell you, it's not a common thing like a cold, flu, or earache. Most kids DO NOT " eventually" get this.
Perhaps even less would get it, if selfish people that think like you wouldn't expose their ill kids all over the place. I know the kind....
Having to cancel a vacation would be a bummer, but that seems dramatic. Surely there would be a trusted family member ( grandparents, auntie ect) that the sick child could stay with while the rest of the family went.
It would be hard, but it's better than canceling a vacation, possibly losing money, AND passing this on to others while on vacation.
Also, if your child is really not feeling good, and sick with something contagious, why would you even want to bring the poor, sick child? Who does that???? Bringing a sick, contagious child on vacation is really selfish, and lacks good parental judgement.

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Just because your family didn't get it doesn't mean it's not common - I don't know of many kids who haven't gotten this yet (except for 2 of my own). All of my friends' kids have had it, all of my nieces and nephews. It's a form of the coxsackie virus, and generallys lasts 2 - 3 days. The OP posted on a Tuesday regarding a vacation starting on a Saturday.

Never did daycare, but having kids close in age meant a LOT of frequent illnesses for the younger kids - coxsackie, fifths disease, roseala, strep, colds, stomach bugs (including the dreaded 2 week of rotavirus)... Kids get sick, and it's usually those that seem healthy that are spreading illness.

Folks, just wash your hands - this virus is spread through fecal matter, and sometimes airborn. Back in the day, it would be a rare week when all of my little ones were perfectly healthy, between the months of October - May. Kids are travelling petri dishes!

Now, knock on wood, my kids rarely even get colds - they've had most of what is out there, and survived.

Not common? What's your definition of common? It really is quite prevalent. I have worked in emergency medicine for over 15 years....it is VERY common. Just because you didn't recognize it as coxsackie, doesn't mean it isn't out there. Ask any school nurse, she'll tell you about how every Sept/Oct there is a run of it in the schools. Then it dies down. It isn't always blisters in mouth/hands/feet. Sometimes just a fever and viral exanthum (rash). A trained clinician will know it, but not the lay person. And yes, most people have had it one time or another, and the symptoms can be so mild, or nonexistent that they don't even know they've had it. And you can get it again.

Whether someone should take their child on a trip with the illness, that is between them and their doctor. A lot of variables to consider.